Faucet



March 21, 196 G. L. HARTMANN FAUCET Filed Dec. 18, 1957 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent The present invention relates generally to improvements in the art of dispensing liquids, and it relates "more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of faucets or the like.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved faucet which is simple in construction and eflicient in operation. 7

Some of the more important specific *objects of the invention are as follows:

To provide an improved faucet assemblage especially adapted to dispense liquids which are apt to contain relatively solid particles, and wherein the valve can be firmly seated and sealed to avoid undesirable dripping.

To provide an improvedliquid dispensing Yfaucetcomprising only a few sturdy parts which can be readily accurately constructed, and convenientlyassembled or dismantled. 7

To provide animproved spigot adapted primarily for use in dispensing relatively low pressure hot liquids such as cotfee or similar beverages in a most effective manner.

To provide an improved liquid flow control valve comprising an annular stationary valve seat and a seating ring carried by an axially movable valve stem which is most effectively guided during closing ofthe valve so as to insure tight sealing.

To provide an improved faucet unit of durable construction which can be manufactured at moderate cost and requires little attention during normal use;

.These and other more specific objects and adVantages typical faucet embodying the invention, maybe had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a central vertical section through a liquiddispensing faucet installation showing the spigot closed and I applied to a fragment of a low pressure container for coffee ortne like; and f I A Fig. 2 is a similar section through the same spigotbut showing the same wide-open as when dispensing liquid.

While the invention has been shown and described herein as having been embodied in atypical commercial faucet advantageouslyapplicable to a coffee urn or the like, itlis not intended to restrict the improvements to such usage; and itis .alsoacontemplated that specific descriptive jterms employedherein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent .with the actual .;disclosure. v t,

Referring to the "drawing, the liquid dispensing installation disclosed therein comprises iinlfgen'eral, a fauceti having an upright spout 5 secured to one 'end of a hollow ice extending through the nut 9 and having medial external screw threads 12 coacting with the cap nut threads 10, while its upper end is provided with asuitable handle 13 and its lower end is disposed withinthe spout 5 adjacent to the junction between the liquid inlet passage 14 formed in the body #6 and the outlet passage 15 formed in the spout 5; and a valveassemblage confined within the spout 5 at the junction between the passages 14, "15.

The various elements are preferably formed of suitable non-corrosive materials, :and ithe spout 5 may be secured to the adjacent end of the body 6 byscrew threads 37 and sealed by an O-ring 18, while the -cap nut 9may likewise be attached to thespout 5 by screw threads 19 and sealed bya washer20. Thepassa ges 14, 15 are of circular formation and the adjacent ends of these passages are communicable with a cylindrical chamber 21 formed in the spout 5in axial alinement with the outlet passage .15, and the cap nut 9 besides being provided with the-screw threads 10, has a cylindrical guide pocket 22 therein of approximately the same diameter as the chamber '21 also disposed inaxial alinement with chamber 21 and passage-15.

The upright valve stem 11 which extends through the cap nut 9 is preferably formed of a single piece of metal,- and besides having its medial portion provided with the screw threads .12, this portion of the stem 11 also has a pair of spaced annular flanges 24 thereon providing a relatively large piston exposed to the liquid pressure in the chamber 21 and forming an intervening recess within which an O-ring 25 is snugly confined. This O-ring constantly sealingly andslidably engages the circular wall of the guide pocket 22 formed in the cap nut 9, and the O-ring 25 may be stretched over the lower flange 24 and snapped into the intervening recess before the nut 9 is applied to the stem 11. The upper extremity of the stem 111is serrated and the handle -13 is provided -with-'a-bush ing 26 having cooperating serrations, and the handle may be .d'etachably secured to this stem extremity by means of cap screw 27, as depicted in Fig. l.

' The valve assemblage which is confined within the internal chamber 21 of the spout 5, comprises a bore 29 of largerdiameter'than that of the circular outlet passage 15 formed in the spout at the upper extremity of this passage and a plane annular valve seat 30 adjoining the upper open end of the bore 29; and an O-ring 31 confined within an annular recess 32 formed in the lower extremity of the stem 11 between upper and lower annular flanges i 33, 34 on this stem end. The upper flange 33 is of somewhat larger diameter than the lower flange -34, and pro- I vides a backing for the O-ling 31, while the lower guide flange 34 is of slightly smaller external diameter than the elongated horizontal body 6 the opposite end of which is attached to a 'liquid container-7 while its medial portion'is provided with an upright gauge S; a cap. nut 9 I enclosing the top of the spout S and being provided with internal quick pitch screw threads 10; a valve stem 11' internal diameter of the spout bore 29 so that it may slide freely within this bore when theO-ring 31 approaches and engages the valve seat 30. 'The flanges 33, 34 are formed integral with thestem 11,, and the recess 32 is preferably of greater width than the thickness of the O-ring 31 as shown in the drawing so that this sealing elementis bodily slideable along the wider recess, and ;theO-ring 31 may be stretched over the lower flange 34 .and 'snapped into the recess "32 soas to firmly embrace the stem While the formationof the valve assemblage as above described constitutes an important part of the present invention, tne specific construction of the source of the liquid which is to, bedispensed -and the mode of supporting for supplying hot coffee, by means of a nut 36coacting with a sealing washer 37, and the body-passage 14 is in open communication with the interior'of the'container 7." The liquidlevel indicating gauge '8 which is in open communication with the medial portion of the inlet passage 14, consists of a transparent inner upright tube 38 confined within a longitudinally slotted protective tube 39 the opposite ends of both of which coact with sealing washers 40 and lower and upper end caps 41, 42 respectively. The lower cap 41 is attached to the body 6 and the upper cap 42 is vented to the atmosphere, and both of these caps 41, 42 are attached to the slotted tube 39 by screw threads, While this tube is held in upright position by a bracket 43 secured to the container 7.

When the improved liquid dispensing installation has been properly constructed and assembled as described, and the container 7 has been supplied with beverage, the functioning of the improved spigot is as follows. If the handle 13 is manipulated in one direction to move the valve stem 11 downwardly by virtue of the coacting quick pitch screw threads 10, 12, the stem will advance coaxially of the passage and the lowermost flange 34 will enter and slide along the interior of the bore 29 until the O-ring 31 becomes firmly seated against the flat valve seat 30 as shown in Fig. 1, thereby effectively closing the valve and preventing flow of liquid into the discharge passage 15. If the handle 13 is manipulated in the opposite direction to move the valve stem .11 upwardly, the stern will recede coaxially of the passage 15 to cause the O-ring 31 to leave the seat 30 while the lower flange 34 slides out of the bore 29 until the valve has been fully opened as in Fig. 2.

During such reverse longitudinal movements of the valve stem 11, the O-riug 25 which is confined within the annular recess between the flanges 24, will slide along the cylindrical boundary surface of the pocket 22 within the cap nut 9, and this functioning of the O-ring 25 will effectively guide the stem after the lower stem flange 34 has been removed from the bore 29, but the lower flange 34 stabilizes the lower extremity of the stem 11 and guides the same while the valve is being closed. While the O-ring 31 snugly embraces the bottom of the annular recess, the upper bounding flange 33 of this recess 32 provides a stop and reaction surface for this O-ring and thus insures tight closing and eliminates dripping. The O-ring 31 is of such diameter that it will engage the flat valve seat 30 alone and will not enter the bore 29, and when the valve is opened the liquid flowing from the inlet passage 14 through the chamber 21 and discharge passage 15 prevents solids from collecting upon the seat 30 by sweeping such particles into the passage 15.

From the foregoing detailed description it will beapparent that the present invention in fact provides a faucet which is extremely simple in structure and eflicient in operation. The various parts of the spigot can obviously be readily and accurately constructed and may be conveniently assembled or dismantled, while the various O-rings 18, 25, 31 and the packing ring efiectively seal the device against undesirable leakage. The valve stem 11 is most effectively guided and supported against lateral deflection so that the O-ring 31 will always find a perfect seating, and both of the O-rings 25, 31 can be.

easily replaced when worn by merely removing the cap nut 9 and the handle 13. The lower flange 34 besides guiding the stem 11, also provides a secondary seal when the valve is closed, by engaging the bottom of the bore 29, and this action also protects the O-ring against excessive pressure and resulting deformation. The uppermost flange 24 on the stem 11 stops the upward movement of this stem, and its location determines the extent to which the valve may be opened, while the two flanges 24 cooperate to provide a piston exposed to the liquid pressure which aids the handle 13 in opening the valve.

The improved faucet can be manufactured in various sizes and for diverse uses at moderate cost, and has proven highly satisfactory and successful in actual use.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction and operation of the faucet herein specifically shown and described, for various modifications may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a faucet, a liquid dispensing spout having an upper bore and an adjoining axially alined lower bore of smaller diameter than the upper bore terminating in an annular bottom surface, said spout being provided with a side inlet passage in open communication with said upper bore and with an outlet passage extending downwardly in axial alinement with said bores and away from said surface, a cap nut detachably secured to said spout at the end of said upper bore remote from said lower bore and having therein a guide bore of approximately the same diameter as said upper bore also disposed in axial alinement with said upper and lower bores, a valve stem movable axially within said bores and having a lower end flange slidable within said lower bore and sealingly cooperable with said surface and also having another flange cooperating with said lower flange to provide an annular lower recess and a pair of medial flanges forming an enlarged piston exposed to liquid pressure and slidable within said guide bore and also providing another annular recess intermediate the stem ends, and an O-ring confined within each of said recesses and being sealing cooperable with said lower and guide bores respectively. 2. In a faucet, a liquid dispensing spout having an upper bore and an adjoining axially alined lower bore of smaller diameter than the upper bore terminating in an annular bottom surface, said spout being provided with a side inlet passage in open communication with said upper bore and with an outlet passage extending downwardly in axial alinement with said bores and away from said surface, a cap nut detachably secured to said spout at the end of said upper bore remote from said lower. bore and having therein a guide bore of approximately the same diameter as said upper bore also disposed in axial alinement with said upper and lower bores, a valve stem movable axially within said bores and having a lower end flange slidable within said lower bore and sealingly cooperable with said surface and also having another flange cooperating with said lower flange to provide an annular lower recess and a pair of medial flanges forming an enlarged piston exposed to liquid pressure and slidable within said guide bore and also providing another annular recess intermediate the stem ends, and an O-ring confined within each of said recesses and being sealingly cooperable with said lower and guide bores respectively, said stem and said O-rings being simultaneously removable from said spout with said cap nut.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain of 1956 

